


Bites (All in The Name of Dave)

by SteampunkCow



Category: Homestuck, Homestuck AU - Fandom
Genre: Adventure, Angst, Apocalypse, Blood, Depression, Deserts, Developing Relationship, Drama, Fighting, Gore, Graphic Violence, Hackers, Hope, Horror, M/M, Plot-heavy, Post-Apocalypse, Raiders, Secrets, Sickness, Strifing, Suicidal Thoughts, Survival, Suspense, Technology, Violence, Zombies, Zombiestuck, compassion - Freeform, current trauma, depressive tendencies, keeping secrets, past trauma, searching for hope, tw, virusstuck
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-29
Updated: 2014-11-16
Packaged: 2018-02-19 07:31:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2380034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SteampunkCow/pseuds/SteampunkCow
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dirk and Dave had gotten separated near the beginning of the apocalypse, six years ago, and had no contact at all. Bro had vanished 7 years ago. Dirk is 20, Dave is 18 now. Dave is traveling when his i-shades pick up a signal and he actually receives a message, his first human contact in a long time, for Dirk it had been even longer. The two decide to try and reunite with each other, but that proves more difficult than they would like when Dave finds out that, according to Dirk, they're in a red-zone when it comes to Zombies.<br/>No where is safe anymore.<br/>But as they try to evaluate and get past Dirks desertion of Dave six years ago, new secrets are unveiled.<br/>Will the boys be able to survive this leg of the apocalypse?  Or is their end truly nigh? Will one of their secrets jinx their reunion and/or escape??<br/>Drama. Oh my.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

It had been six years since patient zero had mutated into the starving, flesh-craving monster that would soon lead to a viral attack on the whole of America. It had been 5 years and 8 months since the CDC had closed its doors and claimed that there was no cure, the virus mutated too quickly to be solved, there were only four scientists still standing and hope was gone. They had only managed to isolate the symptoms that remained widespread today. Engorged adrenal glands. Black blood. Blood shot and yellowing eyes. Glazed or dilated pupils. Disintegration of the irises. Hypersensitive senses, yet a deterioration of vision over time. Loss of epidural pigmentation. A pH shift in the saliva to 4 or lower- remaining only in the mouth. Mucus in lungs and esophagus. Fever. Coughing. Loss of T and White Cells. Dementia. Cognitive dysfunction. Bodily swelling. Hyperactivity or extreme fatigue. And memory loss. There was no specific case. The symptoms ranged on everyone. No human or animal alike was safe. Everyone was sick.

But any or all of the symptoms surfaced when a person changed. It could be gradual or sudden, it was unknown if there were any specifics regarding cases. It wasn't a virus of the dead, it was a virus of the living. An infection that slowly rotted away a being into a walking corpse, kept alive only by the electrical reanimation of the brain that was caused by the over-working of the adrenal glands, forced to the limit and then some by the cells of the virus as they produced the chemical that was the key to the virus. The chemical, named an ironic “Chemical Z”, kept the brain in a state of animation long after any normal body could have survived. In a way, they were all dead, the zombies, but they also still had the potential to revert back to normal. Well, some of them did at least. Once your heart reached a certain bpm, you became vulnerable to the virus if it had entered your blood stream. If infected- if the heart reached a bpm of anywhere above 160 bpm, the individual would begin to phase. If remaining in the heart range of greater than or equal to 160, the change would become permanent.

There were no recorded cases of infected changing back to normal. No one knew that this was possible either. The CDC had never released the information.

\--

Dirk knew that the possibility that his brother was still alive was slim to none. In fact, the chance that Dave was still kicking was about .0007%. Dirk had seen people bitten, they almost always changed within 5 Minutes. Everyone panicked, and everyone died as a result. But Dirk maintained the belief that if Dave had retained any of the training that their Bro had instilled in them since day one of their lives, he’d have the ability to survive. Unharmed, hopefully.

Again, the odds weren't particularly favorable to that either. However the slimmest possibility was everything to him. It was what kept him alive every day. The knowledge that maybe his little brother was still out there. Slaying like a boss or whatever it was that Dave would've said. It was also this belief that kept Dirk sweeping the leftover electromagnetic radio waves, over and over again. Microwaves too. He checked everything. After all this time in the wasteland that used to be Louisiana, Dirk had managed to fix himself into all possible technology that everywhere within a 100 mile radius had to offer.

He had survived only due to strokes of luck, and his largest had been managing to clear out a whole townhouse of zombies, well that and still being alive. That was always a great big fluffy plus pillow on his bed when he fell into it after a fucking longass day.

Today wasn't one of those longass days that bore into Dirks mind like the grubby claws of some underfed mob of cannibals, no today was a day that another miracle happened.

The tapping of keyboard keys echoed through his silent townhouse as Dirk scanned the data wall out of habit. His callouses brushed the keys repeatedly, and almost lazily, not expecting any foreign results. But a sudden sound, like a metal bell, abruptly tinkled out from one of the rusty speakers, causing the hacker to jump-unused to the sound... the foreign sound. Something new had just come within range on the grid. Dirks heart jumped and he immediately made quick work of tracking the signal. Just something small, adrift on the waves, several miles away from his headquarters, but it was there. It was something. And the data code was one that Dirk wouldn’t forget. First the script for a mobile device, second, the address of his brother. Dave was alive.

But what was he doing in the redzone? Dirks headquarters were centered in the redzone out of necessity but as so far as he knew, nobody dared cross the border into Louisiana. Dustbowls always were stock full of the infected. Always. They traveled in vast hordes, and they were accompanied by sandstorms and more sand. Always more sand.

Noone came here anymore. And if they did, they were raiders, or runners. Chased down by the undead or the prior till they were caught. People had long since changed from the supportive bunches that they used to be. Nowadays if you ran into someone new, you blew their head off. Noone could be trusted.

But hopefully, Dave would trust Dirk. Dirk quickly brought up a makeshift version of the application that mirrored Daves own I-Shades. He could message Dave. But whether he would guide his little brother towards him or to safety would be another matter entirely. Dirk didn't quite trust himself on having the best judgment at the moment, after all, he was always on the precipice of disaster all things considered, and he had been forced to kill one too many humans. Infected and not alike.

He hadn't seen another human in years… nearly four or more… Dirk wasn't even sure if he was sane any more.

All that didn't matter now though. Dave was alive. He was fucking alive.

The message sent through, a small blinking red light in Dave's peripheral.

**TT: Hey lil bro.**


	2. Don't Ask How, Just be Thankful.

Hearing about the guy escaping the lab? Bad.

The guy never getting contained? Bad.

The outbreak spreading too fast for any form of defense to be made prior? Even fucking worse.

As soon as it hit his city, he was swept off in a mob on accident. It wasn't his fault - he was just barely even a teenager when it happened. He'd thought his brother was following close behind, but he wasn't. In that time he spent running from everything, he'd refined his skills with close-combat and melee weapons.  
To be honest, killing hundreds of the "undead" every couple weeks was exhilarating. And even though it was inevitable that he would just wind up dying one way or another, he decided it shouldn't be now. He spent his time traveling from city to city, and he had a few friends here and there. However, he knew that chances of them ever meeting again were slim, as he never went to the same place twice. Although, after a few years, when regular people became more and more scarce, he'd lost more and more hope in ever finding his brother ever again. Plus, he'd lost track of where he was. He didn't know where he was, he just knew he was in a desert somewhere, and he needed a way out.   
Water was filthy and contaminated here, and he was already suspicious of a stomachache that's been pressing him for the past week and a half.   
  
He was currently finding his way through a wash that had a couple buildings here and there, and as he went on, buildings would disappear and reappear. He had to hide quite a lot, as there were hordes and gangs everywhere in these parts, and those gangs had guns. Something he didn't have. He was just about to reach another town within a couple more miles, although this one was silent. No undead wailing, no gangs laughing and looting.   
  
He was just reaching the center of the place wen he was suddenly startled by the message appearing on his dark shades before him, a familiar username popping up on his chat client, which had been untouched forever. He could feel his heart hammering with joy in his chest, when another part of his mind told him "it's an old message that never went through."   
But, he still had to be sure. He quickly set to sending his reply back as he walked.   
  
**TG: woah**  
  
 **TG: wait are you really there?**  
  
 **TG: dont leave me hangin dirk if youre out there because i havent seen anyone in years  
  
  
** In the beginning, despite what Dave might've thought, Dirk hadn't gotten separated from him. Yes, maybe it had been an accident that Dirk had lost track of where his brother was, Dirk had gone off in search of his boyfriend and his best friend to ascertain that they were ok. He had thought that Dave was in a safe place.  
That of course, hadn't been the only time that Dirk had made that mistake. He wasn't the same man that he had been at the start. He was no longer the exuberant and ambitious 14 year old who had run off from his twelve year old brother on such a frivolous purpose as to reunite with Jake four states away. Not only had he not found Jake, but he had lost his brother as well.  
To this day, Dirk still regretted every action since the start. Every move he made was another against him in this game of fatal chess.   
One wrong one and he'd lose his king.   
He'd already lost his queen, both his rooks,knights, bishops and the majority of his pawns. He was alone with these staggering pieces and an inability to move further than one space per move. Literally, his semblance to the virtually useless chess piece was ridiculous and had lost anything close to a satirical position long ago.  
Dirk was stuck in a cesspool of nonexistence as he scraped by in his loneliness. There had been days where he had asked himself whether any of this was worth the struggle, but every time... the only real excuse that he was able to scrounge up from his depressive depths was the hope that maybe one day he'd be able to help Dave.  
Maybe he'd be reunited before he died. Something like that and every cliche in the book flew into his face making him sick at the stomach. His own condition had been getting worse and Dirk had thought one too many times about just letting himself croak. It'd be hella easier.  
  
But the thought of his beloved little borther kept him alive. He owed Dave that much. If his brother had stayed alive, he fucking /owed/ him because he had deserted him.  
So when Daves response lit up one of his screens, Dirk wanted to fucking jump for joy. He didn't of course, but a crow of happiness escaped his lips and his fingers immediately responded almost before his mind did.  
  
 **TT: Yeah I'm fucking here dude. What, did you honestly think that my message was like, leftover? Nah bro, 4g may still miraculously be awake but without as so much as a consistent maintenance on the client, no past shit would survive.**  
  
 **TT: I'm still having difficultly believing that you actually /picked up,/ for lack of better phrasing.**  
  
 **TT: Still alive right?**  
  
 **TT: How the hell are** you?  
  
Dave had to take a moment to wipe the sweat from his forehead with his long sleeve. It was hot, but thanks to his sensitive skin, he had to keep it covered. He had extra clothes with him, just in case, though he never changed unless he had to, or he had a place to wash and repair rips and grime on the cloth.   
He sighed, trying to think of a response. His head hurt from dehydration, and he needed to find water fast. If he didn't, he'd be picked off by the mutated crows flapping about or lose his entire mind to just turn into what he'd fought so hard to avoid.   
  
**TG: i guess im ok**  
  
 **TG: my stomach is seriously bothering me and i cant find water in this fucking heat**  
  
 **TG: but other than that ya im fine**

  
Dave didn't know whether that was a lie or not. His mind had gone practically ragged from being on his own and being forced to trudge on. But, if a man recognizes that he is insane, then that means quite the opposite. He was fine, he was sure of it.  
He decided to move and take shelter in a small, broken-down building. If a horde came through, at least he'd be hidden.   
  
**TG: whyd you go and disappear though huh**  
  
TG: i spent forever searchin for ya and now you decide to turn up  
  
Dirk felt the familiar surge of guilt that attacked him everytime he thought of Dave wash over him. Why /had/ he been so utterly naive that his boyfriend and friends had meant more than his only goddamn family during the apocalypse? He never had a decent excuse for himself so his answer always resulted in another headlong traincrash of thoughts in his mind. He was totally worthless when it came to compassion back then  
  
Now if anything, it was all he had left for Dave. It was all he had left. Everything else had disintegrated into dust and was blown away with the rest of the sand. All he was bubbled down to his reckless sense of existence, his technological genius, and Dave.

**TT: Hard to explain man, I should probably have taken a course on 101 things not to do at the start of the fucking of the earth... but lo and behold, I didn't. So I up and failed that test of character didn't I?**

**TT: All I can say is that fucked up big time.**

**TT: Hell, I can't even ask to be forgiven, it was that big of a jacked job.**

**TT: I'd understand if you didn't want shit to do with me, 45% chance you still could hate me for** leaving.  
  
Dirk sighed, fearing the glaring truth of his own words. He genuinely didnt know if he wanted Dave to just reject him completely and say that Dirk was dead to him... or if he wanted to be forgiven. He'd leave that up to Dave. One way or another, Dirk was just happy to know that his brother was alive.   
His attention piqued when Dave mentioned his stomach ache and dehydration, the deeper into the climate Dirk was in, the worse shit would get. He had to somehow help Dave.  
  
 **TT: How long has it been since you've eaten or drank anything?**

**TT: I'm in a position that I might be able to provide some help.**

**TT: Do you see any distinguishing landmarks? Like signposts or streets, large buildings, anything?**

**TT: I'm gonna try to get some visual on your position so hang tight.**

**TT: This place aint exactly the most friendly joint for newcomers, y'feel? Be on the look out bro.**  
  
 **  
**Dave checked out the window real fast before closing up all of the entrances and exits, laying low so he couldn't be seen by anyone or anything outside. He searched around as he read Dirk's responses, hoping to find bottled water or something to eat.  
  
He wasn't really angry anymore or anything, he'd turned out fine on his own. He wasn't one to usually hold grudges. What happens happens, and you can't fix that through being angry. He found that out the hard way, really. 

**TG: no dude i really wanna see you**

**TG: i looked for you to make sure you were okay and finally**

**TG: i finally fuckin found you**   
  
He smiled to himself as he found a can of beans, which he then opened with his knife, then set to eating it as he replied. 

**TG: i actually just found somethin to eat but i last drank yesterday morning**

**TG: i cant find anything right now because i hid in a building for now to take a breath and rest a while**

**TG: like i said my stomach is really actin up lately and i cant walk for long stretched of time without it hurtin a lot so i stopped to rest n eat**

**TG: where you hidin out though bro i can come find you soon after i finish up here**

**TT: You've probably just caught something or your digestive tract has gone haywire from the dehydration. I take it you havent had much to drink?**

**TT: Ah yknow what fuck it. Good to hear you still feel something at least, that means you havent gone to the darkside.**

 

Dirks mind whirled at all possibilities and thankfully changing didnt seem to be one, as far as he had seen, stomach aches were a sign of bacteria, and not the goddamn virus. Getting sick wasnt exactly unheard of either, so maybe for now he could let that worry wallow till later.

He focused on more directly tracking Daves faint signal, being exquisitely careful not to lose connection. of all things right now that would be the worst.

**TT: I'm not too far off, but I am a good day, day and a half of walking off..**

**TT: Only a eighty, give or take a few miles away.**

**TT: I'm having a rough time getting a fix on your location, so I dont have any specifics.**   
  
  


Dirk felt himself frowning the more he thought on Daves condition... hopefully the stomach ache would resolve itself if Dave got some more food and water in his system.. like proper nourishment and hydration rather than the norm of travel nowadays. He'd be able to get that at least where Dirk was. The real problem would be getting here.

**TT: If youre not up to it, I honestly wouldnt recommend coming my way. Longtime no see or not.**

**TT: You're in a redzone now.**

**TT: I'm at the motherfucking heart.**

**TT: Shit aint safe despite all the rigging I've arranged. Theres frequent raiders and the hordes are massive even though theyre few.**

**TT: It'd be like trying to navigate a furnace while keeping your cup of ice water, well, liquid and icy. Shit will evaporate in a second if you aint able to provide an insulated mug, y'feel?**

**TT: Jesus, sorry my euphemisms have gotten a throttling without an audience for so long.**

**TT: I'm out of practice.  
**

Dirk was honestly just kinda overwhelmed to hear that Dave wasnt pissed at him. Something like that was a fantastic pick-me-up.  
Dirks eyes slew through the walls of code that appeared before him on his main screen, his eyebrows furrowing more. **  
**

**TT: By any chance did ya see a town limits sign sometime today? Or a highway 50?  
  
** Dirk had nearly pegged Daves location on the radio so he'd soon be able to transfer the coordinates onto his radar, but he had also identified something a lot worse on said radar. ****  


**TT: C'mon man, tell me quick. If my hunch is right you're in for some shitstorms of misfortune. Jackpot of doom**

  
**TG: ya i just hope thats what it is**

**TG: but its been bothering me for almost two weeks now**   
  


After he'd finished his own short reply, he finished off his can of beans as he read Dirk's new replies. He set the beans aside now and gave a slight groan even though no one could hear it as he pressed his hands against his middle.

**TG: now that i actually ate somethin i feel like total shit dude**

**TG: but on my way up i went through a big city for sure**

**TG: saw highway 50 about an hour ago before reaching here**

He cringed a bit now, trying to keep the noises his stomach was making to a minimum to try and avoid breaking his location in case anything /was/ out there.   
He was anxious to get back to Dirk for sure, and it was just painful thinking of the long walk. He'd probably have to travel in the cool of night as water was the most needed resource at this point. And, like he's reminded himself, the desert water is dirty and can contain more of the pathogen. Boiling it out could be dangerous, too, as fire could attract all sorts of things.   
  
**TG: im in some barber shop in a ghost town**

**TG: trying not to let the pain in my stomach compromise where i am just in case**

**TG: whaddya see on the radar though?**

**TG: i can fight if i have to but running and hiding is the best option**  
  
And that wasn't a lie for sure. As much as he loved cutting down zombies by slicing off their limbs and heads with his two katanas, this illness was quite bothersome and made him too distracted to do such things.  
Making survival a lot less viable future. Much to his displeasure.


	3. Opportunity's Only Exist When You Make Them

At least Dirk could get a handle on Daves position now. But that was the least of his news. He pulled himself once more across his desk, smattered with his array technological scavenging. Everyday he could, he would go out and gather more- but by now he had exhausted everything within reach. It was good enough, he had all he needed to hack into the data wall of the next city over, which was where Dave was. If anything, the firewalls had suffered after the apocalypse.

Dirk was able to access the security cameras relatively quickly, but the job left him mute on the messenger with Dave for almost ten minutes. He got the chat back and typed a quick recognition with one hand, his other tapping frightfully fast at a separate key board, forcing the cameras back into working order.

**TT: Sorry bout that.**

**TT: Service can only handle so much now.**

**TT: But hey, what can I say.**

**TT: Of all places a barbershop, damn, alright it's called Quick cuts right?**

Despite his worry of the approaching danger to Dave, it was still an unbelievably happy moment for Dirk when he saw the scattered and static rattled video of Dave on screen. Of breath of "holy shit" passed over his lips and he allowed a moment.. He just watched, now it was cement, it really was Dave.. The kid was actually still there, and in one piece as it appeared. That was fucking fantastic. Everything was just going right today. Of course that probably wasn't going to last long, but Dirk tried to keep that from his mind.

In the barbershop, the lone security camera swiveled to stare at Dave with its lone green blinking light.

**TT: Hey bro, take a moment to smile, you're on TV.**

**TT: Just kidding, you don't exactly have much time.**

Business as usual though, if Dirk wanted to keep Dave in one piece they'd have to work together and fast. His gaze shifted back to the quiet hum of the radar, the scores of lights that indicated a horde were moving closer to Daves position. The sight sent him on edge, his joy of seeing Dave again would seriously have to wait.

**TT: There's a horde coming in from due east, thats...**

**TT: That's from your right presently, it's pretty damn huge too.**

**TT: Sorry that you're having indigestion, but can we just put that on pause.**

**TT: It's better than giving those things indigestion later, right?**

**TT: Either you're gonna have to whole yourself up damn good, or hightail it.**

**TT: I can give the security systems a jerk, but it's a barbershop, security aint exactly highend.**

Dave sat where he was, quickly looking up when the security camera moved slightly to look slowly from left to right. He managed a small wave with the other hand pressed against himself still. After a couple moments, he started typing up a response.

**TG: i can maybe find a backup generator if there is one but that would be nasty loud**

**TG: i know from experience**

**TG: i cant exactly run right now though**

He sighed and relaxed even more against the wall, cringing as he felt another bit of pain welling up inside of him. After he recovered he started typing up another reply.

**TG: dude im in some serious pain**

**TG: apparently whatevers wrong with me already is just being worsened**

**TG: hopefully its just from lack of water and not eating because if its from eating then i have a huge problem**

**TG: if i wind up throwing up id probably be dead**

Dave sighed and tried to sit up with a shaky groan. He felt miserable, and if that horde came up to him, he'd be done for, and Dirk had a front row seat of him getting mauled and turned by those strange things.

**TG: but ya i guess youre right**

**TG: also uh**

**TG: who was the guy you left me to find?**

**TG: ive been around and i remember everyone**

**TG: maybe i found one of your friends that you treasure more than me huh**

Dirk winced at Daves remarks, he sounded so fucking hopeless that it hurt. Dirk felt himself shaking his head, he couldnt accept that. Not now, sickness and loneliness be damned he wouldn't even let himself think of being hopeless and demoralized again. He'd done way too much of that thinking in the past five years.  
He'd gut it up though, maybe humor Dave some to keep his mind off his stomach. Multi-tasking was thankfully one of Dirks specialties aside from being a total asshole of a person.

**TT: Jake. He was my boyfriend.**

**TT: I don't treasure him more than you.**

**TT: At the time somehow I had fooled myself that you would be fine without me.**

**TT: Gimme the benefit of the doubt alright, I was fucking fourteen and stricken with an infatuation that was incapacitating.**

He could see Daves every reaction, and it chewed into him like a walker bite. If he had to watch Dave die, it would probably be the last thing he ever did. Front row seats weren't always the greatest, they were too up close and too personal. Not to mention again, it would be Dirk just walking away leaving Dave to fend for himself. He almost typed how much he regretted it, all of it... but he didn't. One hand scanned all the possible processes that still worked in the barber shop. Well, at least they had semi-decent and automated Doors, he could shut those tight for one, but they were glass.

**TT: Get out of view from the door, under the desk or in the lil office thing that's there. That can get you your best bet.**

**TT: By my estimation, the horde will be gone in the morning, moved over.**

**TT: But I cannot guarantee your safety.**

**TT: We won't need generator as far as I can tell, barbershop is still connected to the main power-grid of the city. There's enough juice left to keep the doors and bars sound till its go-time.**

**TT: see if you cant find any medicine somewhere while keeping down.**

**TT: I'll keep in touch.**

Dave smirked at Dirk's reply and quietly set to rubbing his middle to attempt to settle his convulsing innards. He should just give up and let his body go where it wants to to keep the pain from continuing. He was pretty certain it would just wind up with him throwing up, but he was certain that it would only attract the horde through sound and scent. Not to mention those things could sense pain and weakness and that only attracted them.  
He looked up at the camera for a moment wrote over to the little office in the corner. He shifted to get up and quickly moved to sit in it, closing the door behind him in case those things came sniffing around.

**TG: fuck man**

**TG: sorry if you gotta watch me puke or somethin but i seriously feel like literal trash**

He slumped down in the chair and ran a hand through his hair, the other hand still over his underbelly. He cursed to himself and he stared up at the ceiling.

**TG: i can wait til morning**

**TG: hordes just move faster and faster around here**

**TG: plus i need to let this food either come up or painfully digest so i can sit here and chat a while**

Dirks concern could only grow the more he watched. He ran a hand through his own hair, the unsettling creak that followed his movement as he settled into his seat unnerving him slightly but his pokerface held firm, even now.

**TT: yeah I can still chat.**

**TT: What do you want to talk about?**

**TT: I guess we could take turns updating each other on whatever shit went down.**

**TT: Or I could go on in detail about how weirdly colored the walls of my place are.**

**TT: who the fuck paints their walls mustard yellow.**

**TT: like seriously, they're just begging for dinner party guests to get sick on their pristine ass carpets.**

Dirk did his best to distract Dave from his pain, feeling piteous that he didn't have any flu-like symptoms like the other did. Or come to think of it it was possible that Dave had something of an appendicitis case... shit that would blow major sack.

**TT: try not to puke though by the way, it'll just dehydrate you more. And you won't be getting any clean water to your reach.. hold on, I'm mapping out a course for you to get here.**

Thank god he had some basic knowledge of maps and the gridding system he had set up was pretty accurate, He had logged in practically all the data he could of the surrounding landscape, so he had a pretty good idea of where the next resources could be found. Luckily, he was in one of the cities where there were still un-pillaged buildings like supermarkets and gas stations around. It wasn't too difficult to create a navigational program in the time that he spent chatting with Dave, the route it looked like Dave would be able to take was avoiding the majority of the hotspot areas. But none the less as soon as he got close to Dirks place he'd be in danger.  
Dirk could still here the occasional groans from outside his townhouse, still see the groups as they shuffled past, idle without any fresh meat. None could enter his abode thanks to his rigging. He had placed so many traps that entry was impossible without a map and very nimble steps; two things that zombies and raiders usually didnt have.

**TT: There's a gas-station half way from the city you're in to where I am, you'll be able to get some gallons of water as well as extra snacks.**

**TT: I haven't been able to restock my supplies in some days so I'm running low myself, I'll have you run a quick errand.**

**TT: Here, I'm forwarding you your route for the trip.**  


**TG: i know but dude i cant help it if i puke**

**TG: ive already been throwing up these past couple weeks**

**TG: along with uh**

**TG: other things that come along with stomachaches**

**TG: not the best situation really He smiled weakly up at the camera that was in the room with another wave, hoping to reassure the other that he was okay.**

**TG: my legs hurt from walking forever**

**TG: but i can make it to the gas station soon**

**TG: wait a second**

He shifted and got up, quietly moving to the boarded up window to look between the cracks. He then quickly pulled away, throwing himself back down on the chair as he clutched a hand over his mouth I keep himself quiet.

**TG: theyre all over out there**

**TG: if they find me just**

**TG: turn the cameras off**

**TG: i dont want you to see your baby brother turning into one of those things okay**

**TG: promise me**

He looked up at the camera again, looking scared, anxious, and saddened.

**TG: tell me when they leave on your radar**

**TG: looking myself is just way too dangerous**

**TG: and i meant to tell you**

**TG: i found jake for you**

**TG: and he was turned of course**

**TG: just the strider luck right**

Dave gave a quiet sigh and scratched the side of his face, watching the shadows filter over the boards as he listened to the hiss and whines of the infected outside. He let his mind wander as he let Dirk respond, mostly of ways to go out with a bang. He scavenged some grenades from a few towns back, and pulling one would ensure he wouldn't come back as one of them.

Dirk bit his lip, feeling the surge of pain that the news brought forth in his chest. The sharpness of the pain now from his lip kept him grounded- but what else did he expect?

**TT: I can't say I'm surprised. I ran into the Lalondes not too long after I.. left, they said that Jake hadn't survived.**

**TT: I didn't want to believe it**

**TT: but there we are I guess.**

**TT: You were friends with Rose, right Dave?**

**TT: Yeah.. sorry bro, but I don't think I have to tell you the outcome of that one, do I?**

Dirk cleared his own throat, despite the fact that he wasn't actually talking. He had been there when Rose had gotten bit, Roxy had wanted to leave to find a cure for her sister, she had even sobered up.. they had left Dirk in the middle of the night, neither of them liking Goodbyes very much.  
He never knew what had happened to Roxy, but he had run into Rose's walking corpse later... No Roxy anywhere. he had searched, but just like his search for Dave, he wound up with nothing there as well. Dirks gaze got caught on the expression on Daves face through the cameras grim portrayal and he gulped.

**TT: and about the camera... yeah, I promise.**

**TT: but don't fucking think like that man.**

**TT: just stay down, and I'll keep watch.**

**TT: I won't leave you alone again though, dude.**

**TT: that's another promise.**

Dirk swore out loud to that, he wouldn't fucking let those creeps get anywhere near to killing his brother. Not today or any other day after. He now had a promise to keep. It was basically what he had been living on for the whole of the apocalypse.  
An Idea lit in his brain, if he could hack into one of the security systems at the end of town on the opposite end of Dave, he might be able to speed their procession to a quicker gait rather than their lumbering shuffle.

**TT: Dave, don't be alarmed if you hear some.. noises**

**TT: in the distance,**

**TT: Imma trigger one of the alarms at the end of town,**

**TT: Tempt the horde to go faster.**

**TT: Why don't you get some rest too**

It wasn't long till a blaring noise broke through the monotony of the hordes groans, it was far off, but the sound obviously aggravated the undead. Their pace picked up as they began to ran, those which could at least, all of them moving faster.

**TT: what did I tell ya, they wont bother to scavenge in the buildings round you now**

**TT: lets see if it continues to work.**

**TT: Or I will, as I said earlier,**

**TT: just tuck in, I got your back Dave.**

Dave shrugged , making sure the camera could see his actions before typing up a response.

**TG: ya i woulda guessed that much**

**TG: but ooooo boy**

**TG: jake was way different like**

**TG: hes got like**

**TG: a ninety none percent chance that hes still runnin strong**

**TG: he still knows how to use his guns and he murders and eats anything what comes within the range of those pistols**

**TG: and he was still smart enough to say his name but that was about it**

**He sighed, trying to think of something else to say.**

**TG: he followed me for a long time**

**TG: i managed to get him to lose my trail maybe last week?**

**TG: i dunno but seriously dirk it mutated inside of him**

**TG: he looks like a fuckin monster**

**TG: and it only kept mutating as time went on and the last i saw him hed been able to choke down two entire corpses before feeling full**

**TG: and i seen him do it to both a still living person and another zombie before so hes dangerous to both**

He shuddered just thinking about hearing the crack of bones from when what used to be Jake bit one of his 'friends' in half. The two had been running from Jake, shooting at him, but he'd apparently become immune to bullets and knew how to block his head with his hands to not be shot and killed. But Jake had scooped the friend right up when they'd fallen just a little bit too far behind, and as Dave ran off he could hear the screams of the one with the broken spine being swallowed down by the creature.

**TG: he was brutal man**

**TG: he knew how to defend himself from bullets but shooting him in the gut seemed to actually bother him an he figured out how to cover his face so we guessed his head is the way to kill him**

**TG: he might still be looking for me**

**TG: he favors the living more**

He listened as the last of the infected ran off to try and be the first to the alarm. He held in a sigh of relief just in case some decided the run was too tiring and still snooped around here.

**TG: i watched him do something horrible**

**TG: when he caught one of my friends for food**

**TG: he broke their spine with his teeth but if it was supposed to kill them it failed to**

**TG: i could still hear my friend screaming in terror as they were swallowed whole up until they had been sitting in him for a little while**

**TG: my friend bought me time though**

**TG: they wouldnt have wanted the same for me even though we had only known each other for maybe three days**

**He chewed his lip as he typed up his next response.**

**TG: every survivor counts for something**

**TG: survivors are needed to find the cure**

**TG: so we just gotta keep on livin til fate catches up huh?**

Dirk didn't even have it in him to cry. He couldn't tear up anymore anyways, no need to waste the water either. There wasn't really a point to it. Why cry over past blood? It would only lead to more pain and tears.  
Dirk didn't even have it in him to cry. He couldn't tear up anymore anyways, no need to waste the water either. There wasn't really a point to it. Why cry over past blood? It would only lead to more pain and tears.Why should he bother risking his life for strangers? His philosophy made him feel sick, but that was how he had lived. He had lost whatever heart he had when it occurred to him that he probably wouldn't live to see the end of this. All this maelstrom of horror.  
There didn't seem to be a cure. The CDC had literally said, "no hope" and that was it. It was a statement of such finality that it was the spark that set off so many suicides, mass killings, pillaging. Those became the final broadcasts before all the news channels ceased to exist, leaving nothing but the terror of their tapes drifting around on the remains of the internet.

The publicity may have helped people to prepare a first, but as things progressed, it was the downfall of so many. Including Dirks sense of hope in humanity and life.

He scoffed to himself when he read the end of Daves replies. His own opinion already definite as far as he could tell. But i would do no good to contradict his brother. Maybe, just maybe, Dirk would see differently eventually as well. Dave never ceased to amaze Dirk. He was somehow both optimistic and gloomy, it was incredible.

**TT: Yeah I suppose.**

Dirk didn't even want to comment on what Dave had said about Jake, but he had a certain obligation to respond in turn as well, seeing as they were exchanging 'war stories'

**TT: You know, Jake wasn't the only one that I've heard of.. even then, that had mutated to that extreme.**

**TT: Before I wound up here, I encountered several of them out in the dunes, near an old military base.**

**TT:They weren't pretty.**

**TT: in fact the whole event hadn't been particularly pretty. Dirk hesitated, judging how he should phrase this to best get his point across.**

His heart pounded uncomfortably and he gripped at his chest, pulling away from the keyboard entirely, shivers ran through him and he winced. He bit his lip, curling in on himself as he sat on the deskchair, waiting for the moment to pass. He could remember everything vividly, despite the panic that had been coursing through him.  
Dirks next response didn't come till thirty minutes later. His recovery time was getting longer and longer. It was worrying him. But he couldn't let that worry transfer over to Dave if it wasn't too late.

**TT: These things were huge, fucking monsters, and they had like,**

**TT: Crowds of lil pilot fish zombies.**

**TT: They were the ringleaders and all the non-mutants fucking followed their lead.**

**TT:They were almost organized.**

**TT: I'm surprised I'm still here.**

**TT: jesus.**  
  
Dave continued reading Dirk's replies, and in those thirty minutes Dirk typed nothing, he also spent it cringing and hugging himself tight. If it was just plain indigestion, it sure was acting up big time. When Dirk finally left a response, he read it quickly and easily before going to his own set of replies.

**TG: yeah**

**TG: i found jake as just a zombie at first but it was weird**

**TG: his skin wasnt decaying and he still had a thinking process**

**TG: and he followed me**

**TG: i dont know if it was because i was familiar or i was something still living that he wanted to sink his teeth into**

**TG: some parts of his skin became armored and rough**

**TG: some of the areas that were still like... skin i guess was a lot more sensitive but if you shot him the bullets would just heal right up and slip right back out of his skin**

**TG: and he wouldnt leave us alone**

**TG: he followed me for weeks**

**TG: and i had a couple close calls where i nearly ended up like my friend i told you about**

**TG: he gets close to you then he eats you**

**TG: too big to use his guns now but when he was first following he knew how to fuck shit up with just those two pistols**

He tried letting himself ease up again as he tried to recount what else had happened.

**TG: im just afraid hell follow me to your place**

**TG: he can rip through an entire house in seconds and i really dont want you to see you get killed by being swallowed whole by your ex**

**TG: and i really dont want to be in your ex's belly either**

**TG: although im sure wed still put up a fight dead or not in there**

Dave grimaced at the thought, and leaned even further back in the chair to pop his back. Several parts in his spine easily popped into their original place, making him exhale slowly from the somewhat refreshing feeling.

He now awaited Dirk's reply, licking his dry lips in anticipation. He wanted to leave now, get back on the road to get back to Dirk. The dry aur burned in his throat and lungs , but he was used to that feeling. The dehydration wasn't a rare thing, to be honest.

**TG: how far away is that gas station and mob though**

**TG: i need that water quick if i dont wanna vomit up everything i have left**

**TG: last time it happened there was some blood in it too so i really wanna keep blood in me for various reasons**

**TT: Christ.**

Dirk shook his head at the mere thought. Jake had been sentient still when Dave had last seen him.. If Dave didn't get caught by him, and he was still being followed, Then maybe Dirks security systems would be able to take him down. The idea made him sick, but the truth of it was, no mutant could fucking withstand explosives. And his front yard was chock full of them.

**TT: I don't register anything abnormal on the scanners right now, You should be safe from the horde for now, but the gas station is far.**

**TT: I said it was half way between you and I.**

**TT: That's near fourty miles.**

**TT: in your condition now, that would kill you Dave. Dirk gritted his teeth, trying to think of any alternative. Anything would do.**

**TT: you'd need a fucking car to make it.**

Dirk shifted from security camera to security camera, tracking down any possible form of transportation that could make Dave's way easier.  
His answer was found two miles off. A small car, tucked into the wrecked doors of a garage, it was pretty ratchet, but It looked like it might do the job, and the keys were left in the ignition. So it looked like Dave wouldnt have to hotwire the damn thing. It also meant no car alarm would be activated.

**TT: Tell me Dave, do you know how to drive yet?**

**TT: There's a car two miles away, you could make it if you were quick.**

**TT: It might still have some gas in it, if not cars can run on fumes for twenty miles give or take.**

**TT: It's your best bet.**

**TT: Scratch that, it's your only bet.**

Dirk looked at the time, Dave had three hours till sun rise and then another six till the heat rose to be too much. Dave would have to have a stroke of luck to make it to the gas station before then. All they could hope for was that the car actually still had some fuel. Seeing how his stomach was, Dave wouldn't be able to manually siphon anything either.

**TT: I can direct you to the car, and then it's a straight shot to the gas station, just take the road right out of the town, But be careful, ya can't put on your lights or anything, it'll attract attention.**

 

 

 

**TT: Ready?**

**TT: It's now or never.**

 

 

 

 


End file.
